Vile postman Hennessy, 24, was originally handed three life sentences for the murders.

But after winning an appeal, the killer had his jail time reduced so he will serve just one life sentence.

Sharon’s heartbroken brother John Whelan revealed Hennessy can appear before the Parole Board in just two years and make a bid to be freed.

Mr Whelan, who is vice-chair of victims’ group Advocates for the Victims of Homicide, said the fact Hennessy can soon apply for freedom is as gutting as it was watching the murderer win his appeal.

He fumed: “Five years have passed for us and we are still trying to come to terms with what happened.

“Five years have also passed for Hennessy, who is now only two years away from appearing in front of the parole board.

“Two years away from stating his case for freedom, a situation that we as a family find disgusting beyond words.”

Zsara Whelan (left) and Nadia Whelan,

Admitting his family is still struggling to pick up the pieces since the horrific murders, Mr Whelan added: “The issue of parole for homicide cases is only one of many issues regarding a justice system that in my view is broken and that continuously fails to serve victims and their families in a fair manner.

“In my own family’s case the issue of concurrent sentencing is one that continues to, and will forever be, something that causes anger and confusion.”

When Hennessy was handed three life sentences, Mr Whelan said his family was “relatively pleased”.

But when the killer won his appeal in 2010, John said he was left devastated that the man who destroyed his family could be free in just eight years.

Mr Whelan revealed in the February edition of Garda Review magazine: “Three murders, one life sentence and to this day no one can tell us which life he is serving his sentence for. This is something our family finds hard to come to terms with and I would imagine it causes frustration with gardai of every rank.

“The idea that all the hard work, man hours, hundreds of interviews – all the officers involved in bringing a successful prosecution can only watch as the justice system lets them down as much as it lets families down by allowing murderers come before a parole board after seven years.”

Mr Whelan also hit out at our “unsatisfactory” sentencing policy and slammed our bail laws which saw 40 murders committed by people on bail in the past five years.